Dviving dry suit having zippered front compression flaps

ABSTRACT

A dry suit having detachable or permanent zippered compression flaps. The compression flaps can be disposed over the front or the back of a dry suit. The compression flaps are used to gather and hide excess dry suit materials and dry zipper ends under the compression flaps. The compression flaps form a tunnel around the wearer under which a kayak spray skirt or a kite boarding/surfboarding harness can be worn.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to underwater diving equipment and more particularly to dry diving suits worn by professional and sports divers and kayakers for warmth and protection while diving and kayaking, and specifically a dry suit having zippered compression overlaying flaps that gather a closed dry zipper of a dry-suit into a body conforming fit.

BACKGROUND ART

Underwater diving in cold water requires a dry diving suit that is capable of insulating the diver from the temperature of the ambient water and its deleterious effects. Kayakers who ply northern waters also require effective thermal insulation in their clothing. Kayakers often rely upon dry suits. Dry suits are bulky garments due to the fact the wearer wears insulating undergarments. As a result a dry suit often has excess material that bulges and pillows on the wearer. These bulges and pillows can trap air that can make buoyancy control difficult for a diver. For a kayaker, who must fit into the hatch way of a kayak, additional bulky material can impede the proper fit of a skirt seal. Therefore, there is a requirement for a dry suit that can be, as much as possible, for fit to the wearer to avoid the deficiencies noted above.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION Technical Problem Technical Solution

It is an object of the present invention to provide a dry diving suit having overlaying compression flaps that zip opened and closed. The overlaying zippered compression flaps gather the excess dry suit material and dry-zipper ends required to don and doff the suit, while at the same time providing abrasion protection for the dry zipper. Iin this way, awkward bulges and pillows of material and dry-zipper bulk can be eliminated by positioning the excess fabric and zip ends in a controlled comfortable location on the dry-suit. The compression zip flap design doubles as water proof barrier for add on accessories such as kayak spray skirts, sailing harnesses, or waist belts of other functions.

Advantageous Effects

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Diagram 1 is a photograph of one embodiment of the invention on a dry suit.

Diagram 2A and Diagram 2B are photographs of another embodiment of the invention on dry suits having different zipper configurations.

Diagram 3A and Diagram 3B are photographs of another embodiment of the invention used with a kayak spray skirt.

Diagram 4A and Diagram 4B are photographs of yet another embodiment of the invention used with a windsurfing/kite boarding harness.

Diagrams 5A to 5D are sequential photographs of one embodiment of the invention being donned by a user.

BEST MODE Mode for Invention

Referring to Diagram 1, there is shown one embodiment of the invention 10 which is a diving dry suit having a first compression flap 12 and a compression second flap 14 secured to the dry suit. In the embodiment illustrated the compression flaps are disposed over the front of the dry suit. In another embodiment, the compression flaps can be disposed over the back of the dry suit. A dry zipper 16 provides an access for the wearer 18 to don and doff the wet suit 20. The first and second compression flaps are attached to the wet suit by suitable waterproof stitching. Once the compression flaps are closed and zippered together they form a ‘tunnel’ under which other equipment can be worn such as a kayak spray skirt or a kite boarding harness. In Diagram 1, when the compression flaps are open, the zipper 16 is in a position wherein the wearer can easily open it to exit the dry suit. When the compression flaps are closed and zippered up, the ends of the dry suit zipper 16 (dry zip ends) are drawn away from the arm pits of the wearer so as not to cause uncomfortable abrasion.

The compression flaps can be permanently sewn to the dry suit or they can be temporarily attached by hook and loop fasteners, zippers or button snaps.

Referring to Diagram 2A there is shown one embodiment of the invention being used with a dry suit having a first zipper configuration. Diagram 2B shows the same embodiment of Diagram 2A being used with a dry suit having a second zipper configuration. Diagrams 2C and 2D show the same embodiment of the invention being used with a third and fourth zipper configuration. The compression flaps can be made from a stretch material or a non-stretch material and can be permanently or temporarily fixed to the dry suit to accommodate any entry/exit zipper configuration on the dry suit.

Advantageously, the zippered compression flaps need not be waterproof and accessory pockets, safety line attachments and brand patches can be sewn directly to the flaps.

Referring to Diagrams 3A and 3B there is shown one embodiment of the invention used with a kayak spray skirt. The top or tunnel portion 22 of the spray skirt forms a dry seal between the body of the wearer and the kayak. The skirt or cover portion 24 of the spray skirt fits over the spray skirt flange of a kayak. From Diagram 3A the spray skirt can be worn over a wet suit such that the tunnel portion wraps around the midsection of the wearer. Once the compression flaps 12 and 14 are zippered 26 into place, the tunnel portion is hidden under the compression flaps and the skirt hangs down from the zippered flaps as shown in FIG. 3B. FIG. 3B also shows how the compression flaps prevent the hulk of the dry suit from interfering with the wearer since the excess dry suit material is captured and contained by the compression flaps. When the compression flaps are zippered together they form a tunnel around the wearer and the waist of the dry suit. Under the compression flaps the tunnel portion of the kayak spray skirt is disposed in a snag-free position since it is covered by the compression flaps. The zipper between the compression flaps can be opened and closed by the wearer to adjust the kayak skirt.

Referring to Diagrams 4A and 4B, Diagram 4A shows one embodiment of the invention used with a harness 30 for kite hoarding or wind boarding. The harness 30 includes a hook 32. The harness can be worn over the dry suit as shown. Then, once the compression flaps 12 and 14 are zipped up, the hook can be exposed through a hole or zippered aperture 34. The zippered compression flaps maintain a relatively clean exterior to the dry suit so that the windsurfer or kite hoarder is not impeded by excess bulky material.

Referring to Diagrams 5A to 5D there is shown the steps a wearer would take to don a dry suit with zippered compression flaps attached. In Diagram 5A the neck opening 40 is un-zipped and open. The top portion of the dry suit 42 hangs on the front of the wearer. The wearer places legs first into the dry suit as shown. In Diagram 5B the wearer places arms into the arms of the suit 44 and 46. The compression flaps 50 and 52 are shown in their un-zipped state. In Diagram 5C the top portion of the dry suit is placed over the head of the wearer and the zipper 56 is closed. The wearer then gathers the excess material and compression flap zipper ends in the front of the dry suit. The compression flaps 50 and 52 are folded in the front of the wearer with the excess material gathered under the compression flaps. The compression flaps are then zippered together as shown in Diagram 5D. The result is that the dry suit takes on a less bulky and cumbersome appearance and is more comfortable for the user.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

Sequence List Text 

1. A dry suit having a set of zippered compression flaps comprising a left side compression flap and a right side compression flap, wherein a first side of each compression flap is fixed in a water proof manner to the dry suit and a second side of each compression flap has one of a male and female zipper portion so that when said male and said female zipper portions are drawn together, excess dry suit material and the dry suit dry zip ends can be gathered under the compression flaps the result being that when the compression flaps zippered together like a jacket shell a less bulky appearance is created and the wearer has additional mobility within the dry suit.
 2. The dry suit of claim 1 wherein said set of compression flaps is disposed over the front of the dry suit.
 3. The dry suit of claim 1 wherein said set of compression flaps is disposed over the back of the dry suit.
 4. The dry suit of claim 1 wherein a plurality of dry suit closing zipper configurations can be placed underneath the set of zippered compression flaps.
 5. The dry suit of claim 1 wherein a kayak spray skirt can be placed underneath the zippered compression flaps.
 6. The dry suit of claim 1 wherein a kite boarding harness can be placed underneath the zippered compression flaps.
 7. The dry suit of claim 4 wherein a kite boarding harness hook can protrude from the zippered compression flaps by way of a hole in the zippered compression flaps. 